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How the hell did I get so lucky?
“He’s so different from how I remember him,” I whisper.
“How so?”
Where do I even begin? A major gap exists between now and then. Suppose the start is as good a place as any. How else can I explain the old versus the new Leo to Jonas? Explain how we met—two people from polar opposite lives.
Taking a deep breath, I dive in headfirst. “Leo and I met at nineteen. Neither of us knew much other than high school and a glimpse of adulthood. We both still lived with our parents. Parents who forced us to attend a fundraiser in Tampa.” I pause to lick my lips, small snippets of the evening flashing in my memory. “Even then, Leo had the capability to get whatever he wanted. Always the smooth talker.” I roll my eyes. “Mom and Dad insisted I attend the fundraiser with them. The church mentioned the event would raise proceeds to help a fellow member with MS. Each ticket cost a fortune, but the money went to a good cause. But the major influx of money came from auctions.”
I close my eyes and take slow, methodical breaths. Jonas trails his knuckles softly over my cheek. “Stop anytime you want. Please don’t feel obliged to tell me everything.”
Nodding, I take another second to rein in my emotions. Meeting Leo wasn’t necessarily all bad—when things were good, they were really good. Plus, Clementine wouldn’t be the most astonishing part of my life if not for Leo.
Slowly, I open my eyes and study the staggering man in front of me. A man who wants nothing other than my happiness. My heart. I lean forward and press a tender, quick kiss to Jonas’s lips.
“About an hour into the event, Leo approached me and introduced himself. We chatted briefly—two bored teens, forced to attend an event with their parents—before he asked me to dance.” I didn’t know how but agreed. It was better than sitting at the table with my parents.
“Before the night ended, we exchanged phone numbers. The first few weeks, we texted back and forth. Nothing important. Just idle chitchat. After a month, we went on our first date. He didn’t ooze money then, but you could tell by his clothes and car he wanted for nothing. Not that my family was poor, but we didn’t have anywhere near the same means.”
I take a moment to catch my breath. To settle the bubbling anxiety beneath my diaphragm. “Anyway, we went on a date and really hit it off. One date led to another, and it wasn’t long before we’d been together six months. It was close to New Year’s, so we decided to celebrate. Although neither of us could buy alcohol, he had access to plenty. The both of us were so drunk, and we forwent a condom.”
When I stop to gather myself, Jonas kisses the tip of my nose as his fingers toy with the length of my hair. I love his supportive nature. How he lets me set the pace while he holds me close. And the small gestures and touches to remind me he’s still here.
Taking a deep breath, I mentally prepare to trudge through the ugly part of my relationship with Leo.
“A week before my twentieth birthday…” Jonas’s eyebrows shoot up, silently asking the date. I chuckle. “Top secret. But I’ll tell you soon.” He shakes his head, kisses my nose, then gives me a nod to continue.
“A week before, it dawned on me I hadn’t gotten my period since mid-December. Needless to say, I freaked out. Went to the store and bought every pregnancy test brand on the shelf, embarrassed as hell.” I didn’t have a job, unless you counted my measly pay from helping Dad at church, and I still lived at home. College was a bust because my parents convinced me art wasn’t a notable major. The thought of becoming a mother with no future made me nauseous.
“Days before my birthday, we went on a date and I broke the news to Leo. At first, he remained quiet. Speechless. He didn’t seem mad, except maybe at himself. The rest of the date felt awkward and ended sooner than usual. After that night, I never heard from him again. He either blocked me or got a new phone number. I had never been to his house, so I had no idea where he lived. By the time I pieced together he’d abandoned me—us—I told my parents. Telling them turned into a vicious cycle of one-sided conversations where they told me how disappointed God was with me. So, I packed up what mattered most and left.”
As painful as I thought it would be telling Jonas this piece of my past, I harbor no apprehension. If anything, relief enters my veins. A major chunk of burden weighing down my shoulders lifts away. Some of the ghosts from my past vanish as the hurt I subconsciously held on to releases.
“How did you meet Penny and the guys?”
I close my eyes as love blooms beneath my breastbone. Although life hadn’t been easy after I left home, I wouldn’t change anything. Not even the times when I questioned whether or not I’d be able to eat.
“For a week, I stayed at a shelter for women. They had resources for jobs and provided me with so much love and support. With my love for art, I read over every art-related ad first. An ad for the shop popped up.”
Clear as day, I see the ad in my head.Tattoo shop seeking artist to help draw intricate pieces.I had never set foot inside a tattoo shop. My parents would probably have a heart attack at the mere thought of it. Which is the exact reason I applied.
“Penny worked the front then too, and I instantly fell for her spunk and I-don’t-give-a-fuck mentality. She may be a year younger than me, but even then, she had her shit together. The more we talked, the closer we got. I still lived at the shelter and she found out. From that day forward, we lived together. After Clementine was born, Reznor took me under his wing and taught me how to ink.”
As weeks and months passed, everyone at the shop became my family. They cared more for me and Clementine than my actual blood relatives. For a time, this ideal made me sad. But as more time passed and I learned what it’s like to care for someone else, the memories of them drifted. The way I see it… their loss.
Jonas holds my gaze. Intrigue and awe and admiration spark his fiery irises. “Wow.” He doesn’t say another word. Doesn’t need to. His wide eyes and slightly parted lips say more than enough. His wonderment has the chambers of my heart working overtime as I fall a little more for the man a breath away.
“Leo made a choice back then. Whether it was out of fear or anger or selfishness, he decided. I shouldn’t be punished—again—for his decision. Neither should Clementine. And I plan to do whatever it takes to make sure he doesn’t hurtmydaughter.”
Jonas snakes his arms around my waist and draws me into his chest. I fist his shirt, inhale his familiar scent, and sigh as every muscle in my body calms. This man is my mojo. My lucky charm. The only person who soothes my soul just by being in the same room. When Jonas holds me in his arms, nothing else matters.
“He won’t take her from you, scarlet. A judge would have to be insane to allow it. Especially with his past taken into account and everything you have done for Clementine. You may not have forty hotels and a couple commas in your bank account, but you are an exemplary parent. You always put her first. Always. And that counts more than anything.”
I gather his sentiment, hold it close to my heart, and bask in the heartfelt meaning. Our relationship may still be fresh and young, but I savor every kind word and gesture from Jonas.
During my appointment yesterday, Theresa stated the same. Just using different words. She also emphasized most mothers maintain custody of children unless deemed incompetent. The fact that Leo popped up out of nowhere is suspicious and concerning, and Theresa plans to dig up as much dirt as possible. Plans to see if there is an ulterior motive to his sudden appearance.
I snuggle closer to Jonas and breathe in the peacefulness he exudes. Let it fill my lungs and add life to my veins. With each passing minute, I feel more serene, more at ease. My confidence may not be tipping the scales in my favor, but it certainly weighs heavier on my side now than it did hours ago.
